Self-closing umbrella



ma M0881.) W. W. TRIMPI.

SELF GLSING UMBRELLA.

Patented Feb. 8, 1898.

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WILLIAM WV. TRIMPI, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEWARK RIVET WORKS, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SELF-CLOSING UMBRELLA.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of VLetters Patent N o. 598,828, dated February 8, 1898. l

Application led October 15,1897. Serial No. 655,269. (No model.)

To all w't'om t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. TRIMPI,

A a citizen of the United States, and a resident means of devices operated from a point adjacent to the handle, so that said runner can be released and the umbrella permitted to close by the action of the thumb or finger of the same hand which carries the umbrella.

The object of my invention is to provide an extremely cheap and simple device for effecting such depression of the runner-retainer.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view of part of an ordinary tubular metal umbrella-stick with runner-retainer and depressing device therefor in accordance with myinvention, the retainer being shown in the projected position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the retainer in the depressed position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the retainer and of the upper portion of the depressing device therefor, and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views illustrating various modications of my invention.

Part of an ordinary tubular metal umbrella-stick is shown at l, and the runnerretainer is illustrated at 2,`this runner-retainer having a beveled or wedge-shaped portion 3 at the lower end of the projecting head and having a stem bearing upon one side of the hollow stick and a projecting heel a3, adapted to an opening in the other side of the same, whereby the retainer is held in place in the stick without the use of rivets, pins, or other fastenings.

Contained Within the hollow stick is a rod or bar 4, preferably composed of a iat strip of sheet metal slotted at 5 for the reception of the stem of the retainer, and notched at 6, so as to embrace the lower portion of the head of the runner-retainer, the bar at the base of the notch bearing against the inclined or wedge-shaped face 3 of said head and also against the inner side of the tubular stick, as shown in Fig. l. At its lower end the bar 4 has a knob '7, the stem of which passes through aslot 9 in the stick l. Hence by pushing upward upon this knob the upper end of the bar 4 is caused to act upon the beveled or wedge-shaped face of the head of the runner-retainer, and as the upper end of the bar cannot be pushed outward because of its bearing against the inner side of the tube l the effect of this upward movement of the bar must be to depress the head of the runner-retainer, as shown in Fig. 2, the bar being forced downward again by the reaction of the wedge-shaped face of the retainerhead thereon as soon as pressure is removed lfrom the knob 7. l

The simplicity and cheapness of the device which I employ for operating the runner-retainer will be understood when it is noted that it constitutes practically but a single piece which acts upon the runner-retainer to depress it when moved in one direction, and is then restored toits original position by the runner-retainer when released from pressure, no levers, springs, pivot-pins, or the like being necessary to the proper operation of the device.

While I prefer in all cases to adopt the construction shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, the same may be modified in various ways without departing from the essential spirit of my invention. For instance, in Fig. 4 I have shown a construction in which the runnerretainer has an inclined linger 10 projecting upwardly from the head, this inclined finger being acted upon by an enlarged head ll on the bar 4, so that the runner is retracted by a downward pull upon the bar instead of by an upward push upon the same. Hence in this case the bar 4 can be made very light, as it is not subjected to any strain which would tend to cause it to bend or buckle. Various means may also be used for applying power to the bar 4 instead of the simple knob 7, as

shown in Figs. l and 2. Thus in Fig. 6 I have illustrated a knob-lever l2 engaging with an opening at the lower end of the bar 4, and in Fig. 7 I have shown the lower end of said bar 4 engaging with a transverse pin 13, carried by a sliding tip-retainer 14.

It the device for depressing the runner-re- IOO tainer should from any cause become inoperative, the said retainer can be depressed by hand as readily as an ordinary retainer. Hence the umbrella is not rendered useless by the failure of the attachment, as in sonne other self-closing umbrellas heretofore deyised.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of a hollow umbrellastick, a runner-retainer having a head with inclined or wedge-shaped face, and a stem bearing against one side of the stick and having a heel engaging with an opening in the other side of the stick, a longitudinallymovable bar slotted for the reception of said heel portion of the stem of said retainer and adapted at its upper end to act upon said wedge-shaped face of the head of the retainer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciiication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM W. TRIMPI.

Witnesses:

CHAs. B. DUNCAN, WILLIAM O. GRADY. 

